Friday, July 19, 2013

The Story of Rebecca (Rebekah) at the Well

The story of Rebecca (Rebekah) at the well is one of the greatest Bible stories of all time. It begins with Abraham in his old age (Gen 24:1) and his servant Eliezer. Abraham makes an oath with Eliezer to go and find Isaac (Abraham’s son) a wife. Abraham did not wish Isaac to marry any woman of the people in the land where he was living, for they were all worshipers of idols, and would not teach their children the ways of the Lord.

"…He (the Lord) will send his angel before you so that you can get a wife for my son from there (Abraham’s Home Land). If the woman is unwilling to come back with you, then you will be released from this oath of mine…Gen 24:7-8

When Eliezer reaches Abraham’s home land he said a prayer, one of the greatest in the entire Bible.

Then he prayed, "O LORD, God of my master Abraham, give me success today, and show kindness to my master Abraham. See, I am standing beside this spring, and the daughters of the townspeople are coming out to draw water. May it be that when I say to a girl, 'Please let down your jar that I may have a drink,' and she says, 'Drink, and I'll water your camels too'-let her be the one you have chosen for your servant Isaac. By this I will know that you have shown kindness to my master." Gen 24:12-14

Before he (Eliezer) had finished praying, Rebekah came out with her jar on her shoulder… The girl was very beautiful, a virgin; no man had ever lain with her. She went down to the spring, filled her jar and came up again. The servant hurried to meet her and said, "Please give me a little water from your jar." "Drink, my lord," she said, and quickly lowered the jar to her hands and gave him a drink. After she had given him a drink, she said, "I'll draw water for your camels too, until they have finished drinking." So she quickly emptied her jar into the trough, ran back to the well to draw more water, and drew enough for all his camels. Without saying a word, the man watched her closely to learn whether or not the LORD had made his journey successful. Gen 24:15-21

This prayer from Eliezer is one of great faith, but also because the prayer was answered before it was finished by the Servant.

Eliezer then goes to Rebekah’s home and meets Laban (Rebekah’s brother) to discus the possibility of Rebekah becoming a bride for Isaac.

Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewelry and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there. When they got up the next morning, he said, "Send me on my way to my master." But her brother and her mother replied, "Let the girl remain with us ten days or so; then you may go." But he said to them, "Do not detain me, now that the LORD has granted success to my journey. Send me on my way so I may go to my master." Then they said, "Let's call the girl and ask her about it." So they called Rebekah and asked her, "Will you go with this man?" "I will go," she said. Gen 24:53-58

Rebekah and her maids got ready and mounted their camels and went back with the man. So the servant took Rebekah and left. Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev. He went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?" "He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself. Then the servant told Isaac all he had done. Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death. Gen 24:61-67

What a wonderful Bible story.

Please note: These bible quotes come from the NIV and some are paraphrased and condensed for convenience. This is not biblical verbatim with respect to Rev 22:18-19.